Public Spaces – Coexistence and Participation

Abstract

The paper is an attempt to answer two questions: (1) how to develop positive social relations and citizenship among residents of cities in Poland and (2) how suitable shaping of public space affects the activation and integration of local residents. The specificity of the postwar process of urbanization in Poland - a country traditionally agricultural - was its political dimension (forced “nationalisation” of agriculture and industrialization of the country) ignoring the socio-cultural determinants and consequences of this process resulting in disappearance of traditional social bonds. According to forecasts, the number of urban dwellers is expected to grow by the year 2050 and increase up to 70 percent of the population. Such a rapid urban sprawl was not accompanied by appropriate social policies; the result was a low level of social organization and of a sense of citizenship. There are various attempts to change this situation. One of them is the development of a system of urban public spaces, according to the needs and preferences of residents (i.e. promotion of physical activity in public areas, introducing elements of art to the common external space, encouraging users to contribute to their surroundings and introducing the appearance of temporary, often cyclical, attractions). Regular interactions between people in public spaces are conducive to developing positive social relationships. Quality and development of the local community is dependent on the quality of space in which it is built. For this reason, attention has been paid to the factors influencing the perception of public space, i.e. geographical and natural conditions, cultural and architectural (arrangement, the availability and condition of these spaces). In the article, the examples of different types of Polish public spaces are described – permanent and temporal recreational spaces (including summer activities and winter attractions). Attempt has also been made to give an answer to the question: who nowadays is a citizen and how to assist in the creation of civil society with a system of public spaces with thoughtful application program. Currently the city, through its scale, deepens the alienation of residents, therefore appears a need for treatments favouring social interaction. The aforementioned spatial actions motivate people to go out and find themselves in the public space. Coexistence is the first necessary step to produce community. This relationship and the specifics of this co-presence may encourage citizens to return to the public space.